Apparatus for homogenizing liquids



Nov. 22, 1938.

E P. ORDWAY APPARATUS FOR HOMOGENIZING LIQUIDS Filed Sept. 4, 1937 INVENTOR.

far! .7. 0/676047 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Union Steam Pump Mich.

Company, Battle Creek,

Application September 4, 1937, Serial No. 164,090

4 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in apparatus for homogenizing liquids such as milk and has for its objects:

First, to provide such a device in which the liquid is subjected to two stages of homogenization so that the larger globules of the material may be broken up in the first stage and the ag glomerations of the small globules thus produced may be separated and broken up to reduce the viscosity of the liquid being treated.

Second, to provide such a device in which clogging and air and pressure variations due thereto are eliminated.

Third, to provide such a device which is simple and inexpensive in construction.

Fourth, to provide such a device which is simple and effective in operation and which may be adjusted easily and simply, the valves being inter-dependent and properly proportioned to produce the desired result.

Fifth, to provide such a device in which the valves may be changed simply and easily for diiierent materials to be treated.

Further objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies of construction and operation will appear from the description to follow. The device is pointed out in the claims. A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view taken through the improved valve.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main valve body employed in my invention.

The valve consists of a casing I provided with suitable ears 2 through which the bolts 3 extend to clamp it in place on a suitable base 4 having the passage 5 for the liquid which is to be introduced into the valve. This liquid is supplied from the usual pump which is not shown since it forms no portion of the invention.

The casing consists of an adapter element 6 and a central member I. Suitable packing rings 8 and 9 form a tight joint. Inlet passages 10 are provided in the adapter 6 and a main valve seat H is provided at the end of the inlet passage l2 which joins the passages l0. Within the central portion 1 of the valve is provided a cylindrical chamber l3 having an outlet l4 therefrom and above the cylindrical chamber I3 is a smaller cylindrical chamber I5 terminating in a still smaller bore 16. The main valve I1 is cylindrical in form and extends through the bore l 6. It also extends through the chambers 13 and I5 and is spaced from the walls of these chambers. A cap I8 is provided, screw threaded as at 19 to the central portion 1 of the valve casing. A screw 20 with a handle 2| and a bearing point 22 is screw threaded at 23 in the cap l8. Bearing member 24 provided with a suitable seat 25 to receive the point 22 of the screw 20 is provided and a compression spring 26 lies between the bearing member 24 and the main valve body IT.

A sleeve 21 is fitted within the cylindrical chamber l3 and is provided with a valve seat 28 at the upper end thereof. It will be noted that this valve seat extends around and is spaced from the main valve I1. At the lower end of the sleeve 27 is a suitable shoulder 29 engaging a suitable recessed portion 30 of the central portion 1 of the valve casing, whereby the sleeve 21 and the valve casing I are clamped firmly together. A sleeve 3! forms the second valve body. This sleeve is fitted around and is slidable on the main valve body I1 and is provided with a flange 32 which engages the valve seat 28. The outside of the sleeve 3| slides on the walls of the chamber i5. Suitable packings 33 and 34 are provided.

A bore 35 extends substantially the full length of the valve body l1. This bore extends through the stem 36 of the valve body I1 and communicates directly with the inlet to the valve casing at a point in advance of the valve seat II. A cross bore 31 communicates with the chamber above the sleeve 3| so that fluid from the inlet opening I2 passes through the valve body to the other side of the sleeve 3|.

The operation of the valve is as follows: Fluid is admitted from the passage 5 through the in let and the pressure exerted against the valve body I 1 opens that valve slightly. High pressures are employed and the pressure of the liquid between the valve seat II and the valve body I! breaks up the globules which occur in milk or the like. The liquid then passes through the chamber l3 inside of the sleeve 21 and past the valve seat 28 and the flange 32. The passage of the liquid through this valve breaks up the agglomerations formed through the first homogenizing treatment. The pressure on the Valve is supplied by the fluid passing through the bore 35 and urging the sleeve 31 downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1. By properly proportioning the exposed surfaces, it is possible to obtain the desired pressure on the second valve.

The pressure exerted through the spring 36 controls the pressure at which the valve body I1 is lifted and this pressure determines the effective pressure required to open the valve or sleeve 3 I. It will be apparent that the single controlling device controls the operation of both valves and that they are inter-dependent.

If it is desired to handle several difierent mixes, it is possible to employ different sized sleeves l3 and 31 so that difierent ratios of pressure between the main valve and the second valve may be obtained. However, in operation the ratio remains fixed for a given pressure and adjustment. This greatly simplifies the construction of the valve necessitating the use of a single spring only and necessitating a single adjustment. The operator of the apparatus knows that the proper ratio between the pressures is obtained at all times and there is no necessity for more than a single adjustment in order to obtain the proper treatment of the material.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing having a bore therein communicating with a second and smaller bore which in turn communicates with a third and smaller bore, an adapter closing the end of the first bore and having an inlet passage terminating in a main valve seat, a main valve body of cylindrical form seating on said main valve seat and fitting slidably in said third bore and extending through the other two bores, a cap on said casing, a spring in said cap tending to urge said main valve body toward its seat, and an adjusting means for controlling the tension of said spring, a sleeve fitted within said larger bore and surrounding and spaced from said valve body to provide a passage for fluid past said valve body and having a valve seat at its end opposite said adapter, said adapter holding said sleeve in position, a second sleeve slidably fitted on said main valve body and on the walls of said second bore and carrying a valve body adapted to seat on the valve seat on the end of said sleeve in said first bore, an outlet with which said second valve communicates, and a passage through said main valve body opening into said second bore at a point beyond said sleeve in said second bore and communicating with the inlet in advance of said main valve seat.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a valve casing having a cylindrical portion for receiving a pair of valve bodies and having an inlet and a discharge, a main valve seat at said inlet, and a cylindrical main valve body disposed in said cylindrical portion of the valve casing and spaced from the walls thereof, a spring urging said main valve body on its seat, and adjusting means for controlling the force of said spring, a second valve seat in said cylindrical portion of said valve casing and surrounding and spaced from said main valve body, a second valve body in the form of a sleeve seating on said second valve seat and slidably fitting on said main valve body and on the walls of said cylindrical portion of the valve casing, sealing means between said second valve body and said main valve and the walls of said cylindrical portion of the valve casing, and a passage through said main valve body extending from the inlet and past and opening on the other side of said second valve body, whereby fluid pressure exerted at the inlet of said valve casing tends to urge said second valve body toward said second valve seat.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a valve casing having a portion for receiving a pair of valve bodies and having an inlet and a discharge, a main valve seat at said inlet, and a main valve body disposed in said portion of the valve casing and spaced from the walls thereof, a spring urging said main valve body on its seat, and adjusting means for controlling the force of said spring, a second valve seat in said portion of said valve casing and surrounding and spaced from said main valve body, a second valve body in the form of a sleeve seating on said second valve seat and slidably fitting on said main valve body and on the walls of said portion of the valve casing, sealing means between said second valve body and said main valve and the walls of said portion of the valve casing, and a passage through said main valve body extending from the inlet and past and opening on the other side of said second valve body, whereby fluid pressure exerted at the inlet of said valve casing tends to urge said second valve body toward said second valve seat.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a passage having an inlet and an outlet, a valve in said passage having a valve seat and a valve body and a spring to oppose the flow of fluid through the passage from the inlet, and means for adjusting the force of the spring, a second valve in said passage having a valve seat and a valve body having a hydraulic cylinder and piston for forcing said valve body of said second valve to its seat, said apparatus being formed with a passage leading from the inlet passage in advance of said first valve seat to said hydraulic cylinder, whereby the pressure of fluid flowing through said passage tends to urge said second valve body to its seat in opposition to the flow of fluid through said passage.

EARL P. ORDWAY. 

